Brentford were denied a second Premier League victory of the season as Enzo Le Fée’s late penalty earned Sunderland a deserved 1-1 draw in an absorbing contest at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Vitaly Janelt looked to have secured all three points for Keith Andrews’ side with an excellent second-half finish, but Sunderland refused to accept defeat and eventually found their reward when substitute Wilson Isidor was held by Keane Lewis-Potter inside the penalty area.
Le Fée converted from the spot in the 82nd minute to ensure the points were shared and, in doing so, provided a measure of personal redemption on a ground where he had endured one of his most uncomfortable moments of the previous campaign.
When Sunderland visited west London in January, the French midfielder attempted a Panenka penalty which was comfortably saved by Caoimhín Kelleher as Brentford went on to win 3-0. There was no repeat of the extravagant approach this time. Le Fée kept things simple, sending his penalty low into the bottom corner and giving Kelleher little opportunity to prevent Sunderland from taking something back to Wearside.
A draw was probably the fairest outcome from a match in which the momentum changed dramatically. Sunderland were comfortably the more threatening team for significant periods of the opening half, Brentford responded emphatically after three substitutions at the interval, and both sides had goals ruled out during an afternoon when VAR and refereeing decisions inevitably became part of the post-match conversation.
For Brentford, the result preserved their unbeaten start to the Premier League season but brought a familiar frustration. After also allowing a lead to slip in their previous league outing at Leeds United, Andrews’ team have now surrendered an advantage late enough to settle for a 1-1 draw in consecutive matches.
There was little indication during the opening stages that Brentford would eventually be the team disappointed not to win.
Sunderland arrived with a clear plan and immediately caused their hosts problems. Régis Le Bris altered his structure and the visitors looked organised without the ball while carrying a genuine threat whenever possession was turned over.
Their intensity made it difficult for Brentford to establish their usual rhythm. The home side struggled to move through midfield with the speed and authority seen in their impressive opening-day victory over Tottenham Hotspur, while Sunderland were aggressive in duels and quick to exploit space when Brentford lost possession.
The first major incident arrived after only nine minutes and produced one of the longest discussions of the afternoon.
Dan Ballard thought he had given Sunderland the lead when he found the net, only for the celebrations to be interrupted by a VAR examination. New signing Kevin Danso, making his Sunderland debut, was eventually judged to have been in an offside position and interfering with goalkeeper Kelleher’s ability to deal with the effort.
The goal was disallowed, although the length of the review became a significant talking point afterwards. It took several minutes for the decision to be reached, leaving players and supporters waiting inside the stadium before Brentford were finally awarded the restart.
Rather than allowing that disappointment to disrupt them, Sunderland continued to attack.
Le Fée was at the centre of much of their best football and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock around the 20-minute mark. A powerful effort from distance beat Kelleher but crashed against the post and bounced away.
It was another warning for a Brentford team struggling to impose themselves.
There were further opportunities for the visitors during a dominant opening half-hour. Sunderland managed to get bodies into dangerous areas and twice saw goalbound attempts blocked close to goal. Jannik Schuster, introduced after Brentford captain Nathan Collins was forced off with a calf problem, made one important intervention, while Brian Brobbey inadvertently got in the way of a promising Sunderland effort on another occasion.
Collins’ early departure was an additional concern for Andrews. The captain is an important figure in Brentford’s defensive organisation and his enforced withdrawal required an immediate reshuffle against opponents already playing with confidence.
Sunderland’s approach was particularly effective down their left, where Nilson Angulo repeatedly asked questions of Michael Kayode. Angulo’s willingness to carry possession forward and attack space helped keep Brentford pinned back, while the experience of Granit Xhaka and energy of Noah Sadiki gave the visitors a strong platform through the middle.
Brentford’s new midfielder Mamadou Sangaré, so impressive earlier in the campaign, found the contest considerably more difficult as Sunderland crowded the central areas and prevented the hosts from developing sustained possession.
The major disappointment for Le Bris was that his side failed to turn their superiority into a goal.
That failure became increasingly important as half-time approached because Andrews had clearly seen enough.
The Brentford head coach made the unusual decision to make three changes during the interval, withdrawing Kayode, Sangaré and Dango Ouattara and introducing Aaron Hickey, Yehor Yarmolyuk and Jaidon Anthony.
It was an aggressive piece of in-game management and demonstrated both Andrews’ dissatisfaction with Brentford’s first-half performance and the increased options available to him.
The impact was almost immediate.
Hickey dealt more effectively with the threat on Sunderland’s left and played closer to Angulo, restricting the space the winger had enjoyed earlier. Yarmolyuk provided fresh energy and aggression in midfield, while Anthony gave Brentford a more direct attacking presence.
Suddenly the game was being played in Sunderland territory.
Igor Thiago, who had been relatively quiet during the first period, began to find space and headed a close-range opportunity directly at goalkeeper Robin Roefs as Brentford increased the pressure.
The warning was not heeded and in the 57th minute the home side took the lead.
Sunderland attempted to clear the danger when Nordi Mukiele made a diving header, but the ball fell invitingly towards Janelt. The German midfielder showed outstanding technique, controlling the awkward, bouncing ball before directing a beautifully measured effort into the top corner.
Roefs had little chance.
It was a goal worthy of changing the complexion of the contest and represented a remarkable transformation from Brentford after their difficulties before the interval.
Having spent much of the first half reacting to Sunderland, they were now dictating proceedings.
The midfield had greater control, the defensive line looked more secure and the substitutes provided the urgency Andrews had demanded.
Sunderland suddenly faced a different challenge. Having failed to capitalise when they were on top, they now had to find a way back into a match Brentford appeared increasingly capable of controlling.
There was another major moment with around 20 minutes remaining when Anthony thought he had doubled Brentford’s advantage.
The substitute got the ball into the net from close range, prompting another burst of celebration around the Gtech, but the goal was ruled out following a challenge on Roefs in the build-up.
It ensured Sunderland remained only one goal behind and kept the contest alive.
Le Bris responded from his own bench and Isidor would ultimately make the decisive contribution.
Sunderland have already demonstrated an ability to remain competitive when matches begin moving against them, and there was no panic despite Brentford’s improved second-half performance. They continued looking for openings rather than abandoning their structure.
With eight minutes of normal time remaining, their persistence paid off.
Isidor moved into the penalty area and attempted to reach a delivery towards the back post. Lewis-Potter was caught on the wrong side and made sustained contact with the Sunderland substitute without making a convincing attempt to play the ball.
Referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the penalty spot.
VAR examined the incident but found no reason to overturn the decision, leaving Le Fée with the responsibility.
The circumstances inevitably brought memories of his January penalty miss flooding back.
On that occasion, the attempt to delicately chip Kelleher had ended embarrassingly as the goalkeeper simply remained in the centre of his goal and collected the ball. Eight months later, Le Fée adopted an altogether more conventional method.
He struck the penalty confidently into the bottom-right corner.
Kelleher went the wrong way and Sunderland were level.
The celebrations from the travelling supporters reflected the significance of the moment. Sunderland had been excellent during the first half, weathered Brentford’s transformation after the interval and found a response when it appeared the home side had taken control.
Neither team could produce a winner during the closing stages and the final whistle confirmed a point apiece.
For Andrews, there were positives and frustrations in almost equal measure.
The biggest positive was the response to an ineffective first half. Brentford’s manager recognised that his original plan was not functioning as intended and acted decisively rather than waiting for the match to drift further away from his side.
Making three half-time substitutions is a significant intervention, particularly so early in the season, but the changes altered the contest and reinforced the impression that Brentford possess greater tactical flexibility and squad depth.
Andrews acknowledged afterwards that his team had been below their usual standard before the break and gave Sunderland considerable credit for the way they approached the match.
He felt Brentford improved substantially after half-time by returning to their fundamental principles, allowing them to gain more control and territory. The manager described it as the sort of competitive, tactical Premier League encounter he enjoys, with two well-organised teams attempting to solve the problems posed by each other.
He was less impressed with some aspects of the officiating.
Andrews rarely makes referees the central focus of his post-match comments, but admitted he was unhappy with the way parts of the game had been managed. His frustration centred on the overall flow and control of the contest rather than simply the Sunderland penalty, although there were inevitably moments Brentford believed had gone against them.
More importantly from a football perspective, Andrews accepted that Brentford themselves could have performed better.
That assessment was difficult to dispute. The Bees demonstrated their quality after the break, but their inability to produce that intensity from the opening whistle meant Sunderland were given opportunities to establish themselves.
There will also be some concern about Collins after the captain was unable to complete the first half because of the calf problem. His condition will be monitored closely given his importance to the defensive unit.
Le Bris, meanwhile, was understandably encouraged by Sunderland’s performance but frustrated that such an impressive first half produced no goals.
The Sunderland manager believed his team had controlled the opening period and created several significant opportunities during the first half-hour. Ballard’s disallowed effort, Le Fée’s strike against the post and further openings around Brentford’s penalty area demonstrated the threat they carried.
His frustration over the Ballard decision was obvious. Le Bris questioned why such a lengthy VAR examination had been necessary if the eventual offside judgement was sufficiently clear to overturn the goal. For him, the prolonged deliberation suggested the incident was far from straightforward.
Yet his overriding assessment was one of satisfaction with Sunderland’s character.
Brentford’s substitutions changed the momentum, something Le Bris readily acknowledged. Instead of collapsing once Janelt scored, Sunderland stayed connected and waited for another opportunity.
The manager was particularly pleased with the impact of his substitutes, with Isidor’s contribution proving decisive in winning the penalty.
That ability to influence matches from the bench could become increasingly important during a demanding campaign.
There were several individual performances for Sunderland that will encourage Le Bris. Le Fée combined creativity with attacking ambition before showing composure from the penalty spot. Sadiki competed impressively in midfield, while Xhaka’s experience helped Sunderland navigate difficult periods.
Danso’s debut also provided encouragement despite his involvement in the offside decision that denied Ballard an early goal. The defender added another physical presence to a Sunderland side comfortable competing against Brentford’s direct threat.
For the hosts, Janelt again demonstrated his value as considerably more than simply a defensive midfielder. His finish required outstanding technique and composure, particularly given the awkward height of the ball as it reached him.
The half-time substitutes also strengthened their cases for greater involvement. Hickey helped neutralise one of Sunderland’s most productive attacking routes, Yarmolyuk brought additional bite and momentum to midfield, and Anthony offered penetration before having what would have been Brentford’s second goal disallowed.
Thiago did not find the net, but his movement became increasingly influential once Brentford began operating higher up the pitch.
The afternoon ultimately provided further evidence of how evenly matched these two clubs have become.
Both exceeded many expectations last season and both entered the new campaign determined to prove that progress was sustainable rather than temporary. Their approaches may differ in certain areas, but there are similarities in the organisation, intensity and collective discipline underpinning their performances.
Brentford will perhaps feel the greater disappointment because they led with less than ten minutes remaining, particularly after also surrendering an advantage at Leeds.
Turning strong positions into victories will be an obvious area for Andrews to address. Two successive league matches have now seen Brentford establish second-half leads without taking maximum points.
At the same time, remaining unbeaten represents a positive start and their second-half transformation showed the range of solutions available to the coaching staff.
For Sunderland, this was another indication that last season’s achievements have not reduced their appetite.
They could easily have been frustrated by the disallowed first-half goal, Le Fée’s effort against the woodwork and Brentford’s improved performance after the break. Instead, they remained patient and found a route back into the contest.
Le Fée’s penalty therefore represented more than an equaliser.
Eight months after walking away from the same stadium having seen an ill-judged Panenka comfortably saved during a comprehensive defeat, he returned to the spot under pressure and delivered.
Football often provides opportunities for redemption, and this time there was no attempted trickery.
One clean strike was enough.
